What does survival mean to you?

In the wake of Hurricane Katrina and so many other disasters in recent years the thoughts of survival are heavy on our minds but what about the rest of us? What does survival mean to us? Survival to me means a lot of different things to different people. I will just name a few that are personal to me. Survival is living each day to the fullest. Learning to like who you are even if it is to spite something we don't like about ourselves or our life. Learning to search our soul and get to know who we really are and to locate the inner strengths that we didn't know existed. To learn compassion for others but also to learn how to be compassionate and forgiving to our own selves. To empower ourselves with knowledge about what we must face and to take any obstacle and turn it into a stepping stone.

I also believe that survival means facing realities and not hesitating to reach out to others when we are in need. Sometimes we confuse support for pity and put a wall up so we don't allow someone to support us. It isn't a sign of failure to allow someone to help us through a difficult time. They too must learn compassion and how can they if we don't allow them the opportunity to shower us with theirs?

Have I survived? Well I'm traveling down that path. I'm not going to give up. I will be weary at times and there will be moments of despair. I will need shoulders to lean on. But I also will be able to enjoy the love of my family, the true joy of my grandchildren. I'll see wondrous things occur. I have so much life ahead of me. I also love to laugh and plan to do a lot of it. Life has its ups and downs for me but when I compare the rocky parts with the happy parts, the good by far outweigh the bad. It isn't easy to always see that. When I'm going through a difficult period I sometimes can only see the bad that I'm being forced to endure. I have to make a conscious effort to see past the bad and refocus myself on positive thoughts. Sometimes I accomplish this while at other times I must try over and over again before I begin to see the light at the end of the tunnel. Close your eyes during these dark moments and listen to your soul. The hope is there, you just have to allow it through. When you close your eyes and remain in darkness reach out your hand and allow someone to hold it while you find your way.